Telephone device



Sept. 8, 1925 R5523 l4 L. DE FOREST 7 TELEPHONE DEVICE Original Fi led Nov. 22, 1919 2 Sheets-Shut 1 I I IJF Q INVENTOR Sept. "8; 1-925. 1,552,914

L. DE FOREST TELEPHONE DEVICE Original Filed Nov. 22, 1919 2 Shoots-Shut 2 INVENTOR 9 BY yvh ATTORNEYS Q Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEE ma FOREST, OF NEW YORK, N. 'Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO DE FOREST PHONOFILM CORPORATION, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION OE DELAWARE.

TELEPHONE DEVICE.

Original application filed November 22, 1919, Serial No. 339,807. Divided and this application filed November 4, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LEE DE Fonns'r, a citizen of the United States, and residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Telephone Devices, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for reproducing sounds, for example, by changing sound controlled electrical variations into tion, Serial No. 339,807, filed November 22,

mechanical vibrations or sound'waves, or vice versa, and has for its object a novel and efi'icient apparatus for accomplishing this result, and is a division of my applica- A further object of the invention is to provide an efficient telephone device which may be incorporated in the artistic decorations where employed, either for the purby the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a sound reproducer embodying my invention.

Fig. 1" is a sectional View taken on the line ca-a, Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the reproducer used as a lamp shade.

F ig..3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modification of the form of the reproducer for artistic purposes.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modified structure of sound reproducer embodying my invention.

The same part is designated by the same reference character wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

In Figs. 1 and 1 I showa simple arrangement embodying my invention which will illustrate broadly the principles in-' volved therein and wherein I employ a ring 1 of suitable strength and rigidity and preferably light, for example, aluminum. This ring supports, in any suitable manner, the edge of what I will term a diaphragm 2. This may be accomplished in any desired Serial No. 598,994.

manner, and for purposes of illustration I have shown one arrangement, to which I do not desire to be limited, wherein I form the ring in two parts to clinch therebetween the free edge of the diaphragm. The diaphragm may be of any suitable material which is susceptible to vibration. I have found thin parchment, water-proofed paper, waxed paper, silk, varnished fabrics, rubberized-fabrics, etc., suitable for the purpose. The diaphragm should be taut, and may be transparent, translucent or opaque, as desired, and, in some instances, may be impervious to light or heat. While I do not desire to be limited to the form of the diaphragm 2, in Figs. 1 and 2 I show the same as substantially cone shaped, with its apex provided with a cap 3, preferably of metal, and to which is secured one end of an axially extending rod 4.

The ring lis provided with radially extending arms 5, to form in efl'ect a Web which supports a collar 6 carrying an axially extending cylinder 7 which surrounds the rod 4 as shown. The collar 6 also supports the magnets 8, which ma be ordinary which is adjustably screwed into the cyl- '1 inder 7. The nut 11 is adjusted in the cylinde'r 7 to impose a suflicient tension on the diaphragm 2 to render the same taut. It

will be apparent that the rod 4 will vibrate axially in accordance with the pulsations of current supplied to the magnets 8, and that accordingly the diaphragm 2 will vibrate and emit greatly amplified sound waves in all directions. It will be apparent that while I have shown the wires 9 of the magnet connected to a source of current 12 and a microphone 13, the magnets 8 may be controlled 1n any desired manner, for example, by a telegraphone record, or a sound record such as a phonogra h record,-or any other suitable source. Tlie diaphragm may be used to artistic advantage, for example, as a lamp shade, as shown in Fig. 2. audit is obvious that it may be colored, tinted or painted any desired shade, or with any desired decoration, and it is also obvious, as shown in Fig. 3 that the form of the diaphragm may be varied within wide limits for artistic purposes without impairing its sound reproducing functions. It will be further apparent that instead of employing the diaphragm as a lamp shade for upright lamps it may be used in various forms similarly for wall fixtures, of any position, inverted ceiling lamp shades, etc., as the po. sition of the diaphragm, and to a reat extent, its shape in no way impairs lts'function as a sound reproducer. Likewise, its use is not to be limited to lamp shades, as it may be readily substituted for any substantially, cone-shaped article or furnishing in an art, where sound reproduction is desired, for example, Japanese parasols or lanterns for lawn party effects, parasols for theatrical efi'ects, etc. Where high impedance, high voltage source of sound currents are employed, for example, where the sound controlled current is amplified before delivery to the sound reproducer, I prefer to employ an arrangement such'as is shown in Fig. 4, wherein two or more armatures, 10, 10", etc., are mounted on the rod 4, each controlled by the magnets 8, 8", etc., connected in series with each other and the wires 9 which lead to the current source, the magnets 8*, 8", etc., being supported within the cylindrical casing 20 carried by the casing 7. In this figure I also show a modified arrangement for securing a taut adj ustment; of the diaphragm 2 wherein a fiat spring '21 carries an angle plate 22 with arms 23,

24, bent at substantially right angles to each other. The other end of the flatspring 21 is embedded in the casing 20. The arm 23 of angle plate 22 is provided with an orifice through which the end of the rod 4: extends to receive the nut 11 thereon. A set screw 25 passes throughthe arm 24 to bear against the casing 20 and causes the flat spring to exert an adjustable axial tension on the rod 4 in a manner that is obvious. While I have described my invention as applied to a sound reproducer it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the structure may also be utilized as a microphone device wherein the identical structure is employed for varying electric currents by and in acoordance with sound waves.

Likewise many other modifications and changes in details will readily occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the claims. Therefore, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a lamp, a shade for the lamp composed of a vibratory diaphragm, and directly connected means for vibrating said diaphragm by and in accordance with sound.

2. In a lamp, a shade for the lamp composed of a vibratory diaphragm, electrical means directl connected to said shade for vibrating said diaphragm by and in accordance with sound.

3. In a lamp, a shade for the lamp composed of a vibratory diaphragm, and means directly connected to said diaphragm for vibrating the same by and in accordance with current variations produced by sound.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 28th day of October A. D.,

LEE on FOREST. 

